Cluster-lamp socket.



R.'B. BENJAMIN.

CLUSTER LAMP SOCKET.

APPLICATION FILED 0012.28; 1907'.

938,632. Patented NW2, 1909.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have' invented new and useful ImprovementsV in Cluster-Lamp Sockets, of which the following is a full, clear, concise,

. said lamps.-

The object of the present invention is the provision of a device of this class which is of simple and economical construction and which is so constructed as to permit convenient connection therewith of the leading-in or supply wires.

In the accompanying drawin s, in which I lhave illustrated a device embo ying my in.-l

vention, Figure 1 is a vertical diametrical .sectional view of the device, the section being taken on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the device with the outer casing and lamp-holders removed; Fig. 3 .is a bottom plan view of the insulating contact-carrying part with the lower contact` plate removed; Fig. 4vis an elevational view` of one of the lamp-holders this -holder projects, showln la means for preventing rotation of the amp-holder in the opening in the casing when a lamp is screwed into the holder.

In the several figures of the drawing, in

Y which like referencenumerals indicate the same parts throughout, 5 is the insulatin contact-carrying member,I preferably forme of porcelain and secured to a metallic back plate 6 by means of screws 5, 5a. This back plate is provided with a neck 7 interiorly threaded for the reception of the threaded -end of a ipe or conduit., -The leading-in wires may e brought into the device through Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led ctoberv28, 1907. Serial No. 399,552.

and exact description, reference being had4 and a portion of the casing through which UNITED IsTATEs PATENT OEEICE.

EEUEEN B. BENJAMIN, OE CHICAGO, ILLINoIs, AssIGNoRv To I:BENIAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OE ILLINOIS.

CLUSTER-LAMP SOCKET.

the conduit or through openings 6, 6a Vprovided for this purpose in the back plate.

The insulating member has substantially -the form of an inverted truncated cone 'and is formed with a depression 8 in its upper side. A semi-circular passage 9 extends from the depression`8y through this member. This passage is enlargedatfits lower end,

-where it becomes circular at 10. Extending across the llower portion of the insulating member is a channel which divides this part Patented Nv.2,19o9. I

of the member into two substantially semiannular portions or ribs 11, '11. 4

Surrounding the member 5- is an annular plate 12 with which the center'terminals of the lamps engage. This plate 12 is provided with a pair of inwardly extending lugs 13, 14 lying in the channels between the ends of the ribs 11, 11. A screw 15 passes through each of these lugs 13 and 14 and Asuitable apertures in the member 5, whereby the plate 12 is secured in position on the insulating member. Each of the screws; 15, 15 is provided with ak suitable nut. upon its upper end. The l'ug 14 is provided also with a bindingscrew 16 to which will be broughtone of the leading-in wires through the opening 9.

Upon the lower side of the insulating mem'- berI 5 is secured an annular cont-act plate 17, held in place by screws 18, 18, which pass through the melnber 5 and screw into suitable threaded openings in this late. The plate 17 is formed with an inwarldly projecting lug 19 which carries a binding-screw 20 to which will be brought the other leading-in wire through the Opening 9. This plate 17 is provided with a number of'radially extending-tongues 21, these ton ues being as many in number as the num er of lamps which the device isdesigned to carry'. Each of these tongues serves as a contact for engaging the outer or ring contact of a lamp when the latter is screwed into its receptacle.

from turning in the openings by suitable means which I have illustrated as taking the form of one or more grooves 24 in the exterior of each ring and corresponding projections 25 on the casing adapted to enter the grooves 24. 4

In installing the device for use, the back plate 6 with the insulating member 5 secured thereto will first be placed in position. The leading-in wires will then be brought down through the neck 7 or through the openings 6a, 6a, which are provided for this purpose in the plate 6, and will be led through the open1ng'9 to the binding-screws 16 and 20. The casing 23, carrying the insulating lamp receivers 22, will t en be put up in place and will be secured to the back plate 6 by means of small screws 26 passing through the upper edge of the casing and into the downturned edge of the base plate. When the lamps are screwed into the receivers each lamp will engage with its centerterminal the ring 12, and will engage with its outer terminal one of the tongues 21.

The casing 23 is formed with a central opening in which is disposed, an insulating bushin 27 having a partition 28 therein. When 1t is desired to lead a conducting cord from the device to a drop li ht, fan motor,

or other translating device, t e partition 28 will be broken away and the cord will be 'passed in through `the bushing 27 and will be led to the binding-screws 16 and 20. If desired these conductors may carry or lead to a switch for'turning the lamps oii and on, in which case the proper connections may be readily made to include the switch in the circuit.

It will be observed that a cluster socket made up accordin to the present invention may be readily a apted for different num bers of lamps by-merely applying a casing.

having the required number of socket-re ceiving openings, and by employing a lower contact plate having a suitable number of tongues 21. This feature of my invention is one of commercial value asl it alfords the possibility of making up, as required, from a small number of parts Acarried in stock, clusters having any desired number of lampholders within the physicalcapacity of the device.

B making the lamp receivers in the form of t readed rings havin two diameters and passing these rings out t rough the openings in the casing from the inside, and by contining the enlar ed inner portions between the lnner side' o the casing and the linsulating contact-carrying block, I am enabled to rovide a readily assembled and cheaply ormed construction. The ring being held between the insulatin member and the casing 'in this manner vis he d very rigidly against y ing havin Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a plural lamp-holding device, a casing having a plurality of opemngs, an 1nsulating block within said casing, and an insulating threaded lamp-holder in each of said openings, each of said lamp-holders comprising a ring having two diameters and having its smaller part passed outward through one of the o enings of the casing, the larger portion o the ring being contned between said casing and said insulating block and thereby held against `inward movement.

2. In a plural lamp-holding device, a casa plurality of openings, an insulating b ook within said casing, a contact carried by said block'and adapted to engage a variable number of lamps, a lamp receiver disposed in each of said openings and comprisinga ring having two diameters, said ring having its larger portion confined between saidcasing and said insulating block and thereby held in position, and having its smaller portionv extending outwardly through the casing, other contacts for engagement with the lamps, and means for preventing rotation of said rin 3. In a plural lamp-holding evice, a casing having a plurality of openings, an insulating block within said casing, a contact carried by said block and adapted to engage a variablenumber of lamps, a lamp receiver disposed in each of said openings and comprising a ring having two diameters, said ring having its larger portion confined between said casing and said insulating block and thereby held in position, and having its smaller portion extending outwardly through t-he casing, other contacts for engagement with the lamps, and interengaging means on said casing and said receiver for preventlng rotation of sald receiver.

4. In a plural lamp-holding dev1ce, a casing, an insulating block, a contact carried thereby and adapted to engage a variable' number of lamps, a lamp-holder carried by said casing and having av portion of enlar ed `diameter within said casing, a tongue an groove connection between said lampholder and said casin for preventing rotation of saidV lampfhol er, the inner edge of said holder bearing upon said insulatin block to prevent inward movement of said lamp-holder and a second contact `for each of said ho1derssaidsecond contacts comrising 'resiilent strips extending into said olders. -5. In a .plural lamp-holding device, the combination of a back late, an insulating member secured to said acklate, a casin independentl securedto said E d inclosing sai insulating member and having ack-plate an plurality of non-circular openings ar- In witness whereof, I have hereunto sub.

anged in a circle, an insulating non-circular scribed my name in the presence of two witlng Within each of sald openings, and a nesses.

late secured to said insulating member and REUBENB. BENJAMN. aving radially extending tongues for en- Witnesses: agement with the outer contacts of the M. L. FARRAR,

amps. C. L. HOPKINS. 

